TWI385967B - Smart-switch management module system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for transparent switching of management sessions utilizing in-band and out-of-band technologies is provided. The system provides continuous access to the managed system(s) by combining in-band tools, which generally require lower network bandwidth and provide better response time with less latency when the system under management is in-service, with out-of-band tools that provide continued access to the system under management when the network interface or operating system become unstable or the system in placed by an operator or falls unexpectedly to an out-of-service condition.

Description

Intelligent switch management module system and method Field of invention

The present invention relates to the field of computer network management, and more particularly to methods for accessing and managing computer, network, and telecommunications system equipment, utilizing in-band and out-of-band technologies and protocols for remote management access.

Background of the invention

IT professionals typically use tools to remotely access and control network nodes such as computer servers. These traditional remote access tools allow IT professionals to remotely manage and store the operation of network nodes. Traditionally, these remote access tools fall into two categories: in-band tools and out-of-band tools. The communication between the in-band tool and the managed device depends on the same network interface as the communication device is used to connect to the data network. An out-of-band management tool communicates with the managed device using a separate access medium (such as a series of manipulations or keyboard video slides) dedicated to management. Out-of-band tools allow administrators to access managed devices even when the managed device loses network connectivity.

In the in-band solution, the managed device communicates with the remote access client using conventional network protocols such as Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), Secure Shell System (SSH), Virtual Network Computing (VNC). In-band tools allow network administrators to use simple programs ("viewers" or remote access clients) on another computer anywhere on the network (enterprise network, internet, and/or supernet) To view and interact with managed devices. The two computers need to be of the same type, so for example, one can use an in-band tool to view your home. Windows (Windows) operating system on the Linux server. Figure 1 shows the in-band tool if it works.

The in-band solution consists of three different components: a remote access service located in the managed device, a remote access client located at the client node, and a communication path between the server and the client device. Network. Based on the architectural factors, all three in-band tool requirements are fully functional. If the managed device is not fully functional, the remote access service software will not be fully commissioned and the client software will not be able to access the managed device. Similarly, if there is a problem with the network, the remote access client will not be able to reach the remote access service and the solution will not work. For these reasons, in-band tools are typically used remotely for route maintenance at the risk of such components having little or no error.

In-band tools are included in all large operating systems. People are used to having tools at no extra cost. Other important features are efficiency and efficiency. Since the in-band tool includes a component embedded within the managed device, server client communication can be optimized and tightly coupled to the general regional user interface, which minimizes latency and bandwidth requirements. There are many solutions available today (open source and commercial) that allow in-band remote access such as Citrix Metafream, Tarantella, PC Anyehere, OpenSSH, SecureCRT.

However, the in-band access tool becomes inefficient whenever the network path associated with the managed device fails or the managed device loses connectivity. In order to address this limitation, a tool is provided that provides remote access to the out-of-band management of the managed device. These out-of-band tools use such as tandem consoles and KVM Interface to generate management information. Figure 2 shows how the out-of-band tool works.

In-band tools, such as RDP or SSH, are typically used for maintenance devices that are being maintained around the clock, as they allow for the most immediate secure remote access system and allow the operator to do whatever is done locally on the system. Typically the network is optimized and provides a low frequency wide utilization (compared to an out-of-band protocol such as KVM/IP) and a combination of excellent performance with small latency. Remote access client software that is required to utilize these protocols is inexpensive, and in many cases, is included in the client node operating system, which results in low cost of use. The main disadvantage of in-band tools is that they require the managed device and the network to be in a stable condition and cannot be used in situations where the managed device loses connectivity.

In contrast, out-of-band tools are typically used for emergency access systems that are not accessible through in-band tools, or for causing some interference to in-band tools (such as changing IP addresses, routing a table configuration, or execution requirements). High wind limit management tasks for system restart operations). An out-of-band solution consists of three components: (1) an out-of-band device that interfaces with the out-of-band interface of the managed device and converts the data into a format suitable for transmission over the network; (2) a remote access client, It is located in the client node and communicates with the out-of-band device; (3) and the out-of-band network, which serves as a path for communication between the out-of-band device and the remote access client. Note that in some cases, the out-of-band device may be located inside the managed device, such as a service processor embedded in the motherboard, but it is still a completely different entity and its functionality does not depend on the managed device. The out-of-band devices used today include console servers such as Clylades AlterPath ACS and LantroNIX SecureLinx, and KVM over IP switching, such as Clylades AlterPath. KVM/net and Avocent DS Series, and BMC (Baseboard Management Controller), such as HP iLO and IPMI.

Out-of-band solutions are more expensive than in-band solutions. Out-of-band devices typically require more network bandwidth and often perform poorly on high-latency, low-bandwidth networks. There are also restrictions on the number of simultaneous connections. Out-of-band devices typically have a limit on the number of simultaneous management sessions provided, while increasing the number becomes expensive.

The out-of-band tool utilizes a dedicated management connection to access the managed device, so that the out-of-band connection can still be used even when the system is unstable. Due to the need for out-of-band tools to convert signals into a form suitable for secure transmission over TCP/IP, the bandwidth requirements of the network will be higher than when using in-band tools, and the performance of remote access clients is lower. The latency and deployment required for the infrastructure will be higher than the cost of using in-band tools.

Covering all remote access requirements in the most useful and efficient manner requires a combination of in-band and out-of-band tools. Some companies have proposed solutions that allow SSL-UAG+ products such as Xceeedium. However, this approach shows the following key limitations:

. The user must access multiple remote access clients (viewers) to use the various in-band and out-of-band tools.

. Users must be trained to use different remote access clients and access methods used for training selections. This has led to increased costs for deployment and ownership, as well as increased human error.

. The user must decide which tool to use (in-band or out-of-band) at any given time. This can result in loss of personal productivity when the connection is unavailable or the out-of-band connection is unnecessarily blocked by another user.

. The network bandwidth is inefficiently used by the operator when the tool is available in the clear zone but selects an out-of-band tool.

. The operator loses the connection to the managed asset unexpectedly and is required to reconnect using other agreements. This can cause problems and lead to more human error.

Therefore, the Deaf wants to provide a smart switch module that combines in-band access and tools with out-of-band access and tools, while overcoming the limitations of combining in-band and out-of-band tools in traditional solutions. The purpose of the invention.

Summary of invention

A smart switch module in accordance with the present invention includes a system and method for intelligently and automatically exchanging between network management data streams, which provides continuous remote access over one more managed system, reducing the end Manage the complexity of the solution, optimize network bandwidth, propose optimal access and response times, and maximize the availability of management resources. The system proposes continuous access to one or more managed systems by combining a tape tool with an out-of-band tool, where the in-band tool typically requires a lower latency and a lower latency when the system is in service. The better response time, while the out-of-band tool provides continuous access to the system under management when the network interface or operating system becomes unstable or when the system is controlled by an operator or unexpectedly falls outside the service.

The present invention is a system including, but not limited to, a variety of different remote management access protocols: Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), Virtual Network Computing (VNC), Independent Computing Architecture (ICA), X-Windows (X) .11), KVM/IP, SSH, Telnet, Serial Console, Serial over LAN (SOL), IPMI, and other undeveloped remote management access protocols are also within the scope of the present invention.

The present invention includes monitoring services for determining the availability of various protocols available for use in any managed system, and evaluating one of the applicability of each agreement for an existing session based on network conditions, managed systems, and administrators' existing connection selection settings. Decision engine. The present invention continues to monitor the agreement during any session and exchanges to another session agreement (using the decision engine) when an existing dialog agreement is unavailable or when more efficient dialog agreements are available.

Many advantages of conventional systems exist by virtue of the present invention. For example, network bandwidth is selected by selecting them when more efficient protocols (eg, in-band) are available, and switching to less desirable protocols to optimize when managed by system conditions. In addition, the response time and latency in the management interface are chosen to be less desirable (eg out-of-band) when selecting the best agreement (eg, selecting in-band when available in-band) and only when governed by the status of the managed system. To minimize. The system also maximizes connection continuity by exchanging between the connection method and the agreement governed by the availability of each agreement. Users can minimize competition by making more efficient use of available network bandwidth and using them when stronger protocols can be used. In addition, management infrastructure costs are minimized by optimizing the use of expensive out-of-band technology and operator training, while human error is minimized by providing an inter-collection exchange without gaps, since the operator does not need to understand Which protocol or software application is used to access a system.

The smart switch module in accordance with the present invention can be implemented in a number of different manners, all of which are within the scope of the present invention. For example, a smart switch module can be implemented as a software module or application that can be directly loaded into an administrator workstation, or a software module or application that can be inserted into a large centralized management server, such as HP. OPenView, IBM Tivoli, IBM Director, Microsoft System Management Server, etc. The smart switching module can also be implemented to integrate on a device that includes an out-of-band physical access medium, such as a software module integrated with a KVM/IP switch. Alternatively, the smart switch module can be implemented as a software integrated with an access management gateway device, such as Clylades AlterPath Manager, Xceedium SSL-UAG+, Avocent DS View, Raritan Command Center. The smart switch module can also be implemented using a specific application integrated circuit.

Simple illustration

Figure 1 illustrates the use of in-band tools.

Figure 2 shows the use of the out-of-band tool.

FIG. 3 illustrates a smart switch module according to the present invention, wherein the management flow of the two slave modules to the managed device is illustrated.

Figure 4 illustrates a traditional out-of-band access solution using KVM/IP.

Figure 5 illustrates a conventional in-band access solution utilizing RDP.

FIG. 6 illustrates a smart switch module in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a smart switch module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a network management method using a smart switch module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 is a flow chart showing a method of establishing a connection by a smart switch module.

Figure 10 is a flow chart showing one of the established connections using the smart switch module in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment

The present invention is particularly applicable to a remote management solution for Microsoft Windows Server, which utilizes remote KVM/IP for out-of-band access and remote desktop protocol RDP for in-band access, and will be in accordance with the present invention. Description in the manual. It will be appreciated, however, that the system and method in accordance with the present invention have excellent efficacy because (1) the system can be used with any existing interface and protocol and any newly developed interfaces and protocols; (2) the system can be implemented in many ways. The coefficients are within the scope of the invention.

Figure 3 illustrates a smart switch system 20 in accordance with the present invention. The smart switch module receives a first management data stream 22 and a second management data stream 24 from the system 20 to a managed device (not shown). In this example, the best-in-class 22 utilizes the in-band access management system while the other stream 24 utilizes the out-of-band access to the same system (via one of the out-of-band devices not shown). In accordance with the present invention, the system selects between streams and independently passes a smart stream 26 to the user application from the stream used to communicate with the managed system at this time. Because the module provides continuous access to one or more managed systems by combining in-band tools and out-of-band tools, where in-band tools typically require lower network bandwidth while the system is in service in management. Better response time with less latency, while out-of-band tools provide continuous storage of the system under management when the network interface or operating system becomes unstable or when the system is controlled by an operator or unexpectedly falls outside the service take. To better understand the smart switch module of the present invention, a typical out-of-band system and in-band system will now be described.

Figure 4 is a diagram of a conventional out-of-band system traditionally directed to a Microsoft Windows system utilizing KVM/IP technology and KVM/IP exchange 30. In this figure, each managed device/system (servers S1-Sn in this example) has a physical connection between the keyboard, video, and mouse connector and the KVM/IP device, which is used as any Known mode provides a multiplexer that accesses any server. One or more local users, such as local users LU1 and LU2, are connected to the KVM/IP exchange 30 using a dedicated KVM connection entity and can be stored individually by navigating one of the list systems embedded in the KVM/IP exchange 30 Take each server. One or more remote users, such as remote users RU1 and RU2, can establish a connection via an Ethernet connection or an Internet connection using a typical web browser and navigate through the KVM/IP exchange. A list system is used to select a server that the remote user wants to connect to. At this point, a KVM/IP viewer application (not shown, but conventionally) is launched in the remote user workstation (physically located at the remote user location), which establishes a connection to the KVM/IP exchange. Pass to the server. The limitation of this traditional out-of-band system is that only a limited number of users can access the system, making it impossible to access all systems simultaneously in a cost-effective manner. This traditional solution limits the network bandwidth required by the KVM/IP protocol to a relatively high level, while the native value of KVM/IP indicates that the operator is experiencing latency and cannot be synchronized, such as the mouse pointer, resulting in inefficient use of the system.

Figure 5 presents a conventional in-band system for a Microsoft Windows system that utilizes the conventional Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to present remote access operators. In the figure, one or more managed devices/systems, such as one or more servers S1-Sn, are connected to a production or management network using Ethernet or using a remote dial-up connection with PPP. One or more remote users, such as remote users RU1 and RU2, are also connected to the network and can access the server over a TCP/IP connection using an embedded RDP client viewer. This in-band system has an advantage over KVM/IP (Figure 4) in that its system is more efficient for transmission over the network, resulting in lower bandwidth utilization and better response times. The close coupling of the protocol to the video subsystem of the operating system itself also means that it can be fully synchronized, resulting in a more efficient user experience. However, the limitation of this in-band system is that it can only be used in the operating system/network execution and thus cannot cover out-of-band or out-of-service conditions.

In order to provide an effective management access solution, both methods (in-band and out-of-band) must be used. Without the use of the invention described below, the combination of the two approaches (in-band and out-of-band) will result in management due to the manager having to deal with two different remote access systems and having to decide which system to use at a given time. Difficulties and human error. The smart switch module in accordance with the present invention solves this problem and provides a combination of in-band and out-of-band remote access while reducing management difficulties.

Figure 6 shows an embodiment of a smart switch system 20, and in particular a smart switch module according to the present invention. In accordance with the present invention, out-of-band access (KVM in the examples described herein) and in-band access (RDP in the examples described herein) are combined in a solution, and the present invention is used to provide The in-band and out-of-band connection status can be monitored and dynamically exchanged between the two access patterns to provide a useful and efficient access to one of the managed system single client viewers. In one embodiment, one or more managed devices/systems, such as servers S1-Sn in this example, may be directly connected to the smart switch module 40 using a dedicated KVM connection 42. The managed system can also be connected to a production and/or management network that can transmit conventional Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) traffic to a smart switch over a connection 46 (eg, Ethernet or PPP dial-up) Module 40.

A typical system managed by KVM and RDP is Microsoft Windows 2000, which includes a hardware KVM interface and includes two RDP protocol services. A typical KVM access device such as the KVM/IP exchange is AlterPath KVMnet manufactured by Sikradas and Avocent's DSR series switches. The RDP client application is implemented as a standard in Windows XP and other Windows platforms, as well as Linux and Unix for remote desktop projects. One or more local users, such as local users LU1 and LU2 in this example, can be connected to the smart switch module 40 and one or more remote terminals using a dedicated keyboard, video, mouse cable 50 For example, remote users LU1 and LU2 in this example can be connected via connection 46 using a typical web browser. In accordance with the present invention, each local and remote user utilizes a typical computer system access system having sufficient computing power and memory to interact with the smart switch module. The user's computer system may include, for example, a personal computer, a workstation, a terminal, a PDA, a wireless device, a cellular phone, and the like. Each user's computer system can be one of the conventional management stations.

A user (whether remote or local) can then log into the smart switch module 40 and present a list of systems that indicate that a particular user is allowed access. According to the present invention, a plurality of users can access the managed system at the same time. The user can then select the system they want to connect to, and then the smart switch module 40 launches a viewer application (on the user's computer) to allow the user to access the graphical interface of the managed system. The user viewer application will not be directly connected to the managed system, but will be connected to the smart switch module set in the smart switch module 40. The smart switch module 40 continuously and automatically (without user action) monitors the in-band and out-of-state service availability of the managed system, and combines the user and system wide priority to determine which path to use to connect to the Management system.

In many example scenarios, system prioritization may indicate that KVM/IP should be used in preference to RDP whenever it is available. This priority will provide the user with the lowest bandwidth to access all managed systems simultaneously. This priority also provides the best user experience in response time and synchronization. In this scenario, the smart switch modules are configured to utilize KVM/IP when the RDP service is unavailable. In this scenario, the remote user can establish a connection to the smart switch module and select the managed device/system to which the user wants to connect. The smart switch module then launches a viewer application on the user's computer system, which is connected back to the smart switch module. The smart switch module can then check the attribute configuration (described above) and see if the RDP is a preferred connection method, detecting the managed device (a specific server) to establish an RDP service available to the particular managed device. Existence. If the service is available, this connection is established using RDP. If the service is not available, a KVM/IP session will be established, and KVM/IP will be available when the RDP service is unavailable due to the priority. Even if the RDP protocol is available and used for connectivity, the smart switch module will continue to monitor the service and automatically and directly switch to a KVM/IP session in the event of any interference. Due to the attribute relationship of the Microsoft Windows operating system, the user may be required to log in to the managed system again, but this mode will vary depending on the attributes and capabilities of the managed system.

Figure 7 is a block diagram showing the software implementation of a computer system 60 in accordance with one of the smart switch modules of the present invention. In this implementation, the smart switch module implements a software module/application that is executed by a device. The smart switch module can also be directly loaded on a manager workstation or can be used as a plug-in for a large centralized management system (such as HP OpenView, IBM Tivoli, IBM Director, Microsoft System Management Server, etc.). The smart switching module can also be implemented to integrate on devices that include an out-of-band physical access medium, such as a software module integrated with a KVM/IP switch. Alternatively, the smart switch module can be implemented as a software integrated with an access management gateway device, such as Clylades AlterPath Manager, Xceedium SSL-UAG+, Avocent DS View, Raritan Command Center. The smart switch module can also be implemented using an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). This module can also be implemented to service processor paths in accordance with one of the present inventions.

The computer system has a variety of conventional components not shown in Figure 7, including a display device and various input/output peripherals. The computer system 60 also has a CPU 62 and a permanent storage device 64, such as a disk drive, a CD player, a cassette player, non-electrical memory, etc., and a temporary memory 66, such as DRAM or SRAM or fast. Flash memory in which the CPU, permanent storage, and temporary memory system are coupled together. The permanent storage device stores one or more software application modules while the temporary memory stores one or more software applications/modules, which are conventionally executed by the CPU. In order to implement the smart switch module in accordance with the present invention, one or more software modules can be provided in the temporary memory 66 and can be executed by the CPU 62. In particular, the computer system can execute a typical operating system 68 and a smart switch software application 70. The smart switch software application 70 can include a monitor module 72, an engine module 74, one or more protocol adapters 76, and one or more viewers 78. This monitor module monitors the network management service to determine the availability of the various protocols available to any managed system. The engine module 74 evaluates the suitability of the various agreements for the current conversation based on the network conditions and the current connection selection settings of the managed system and the administrator, and selects the agreement/service. In accordance with the present invention, the agreement is continuously monitored during any conversation, and when the current dialog agreement becomes unavailable, or a more efficient dialog agreement is available, it is exchanged for an alternative dialog agreement (using the decision engine). In accordance with the present invention, additional protocol adapters can be incorporated into the system at any time so that the system can handle any new agreements. One or more viewers 78 allow the smart switch module to provide a viewer application to each user of the system.

The following flow chart shows the functionality of the Smart Switch Module (SSM) in accordance with the present invention. The flow chart assumes a scheme in which two connection agreements are available, but it will be appreciated that the invention extends the use of any number of connection agreements.

Figure 8 is a flow chart showing one method 80 for intelligent exchange in accordance with the present invention. In accordance with the present invention, a smart switch (SSM) waits for a connection request to begin the method. Upon receiving a connection request (step 82), the SSM performs a connection establishment deduction (step 84), which will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. Deductive checks system priority (located in a priority database 85) and service availability to determine which connection method and agreement to use (eg, an in-band agreement or a out-of-band agreement). If a connection cannot be established (step 86), an error is passed back to the user (step 88) and the method is completed. If the connection is established, the SSM will return and enable a viewer application (step 90) and begin monitoring the connection (step 92), which is described in more detail with reference to FIG. If the connection is terminated by the user (step 94) (according to a connection termination request), the connection is closed (step 96) and the method is completed. If a connection exchange request is received from the monitor connection module (see Figure 7) (step 98), then a connection exchange is attempted (step 100). Once the second conversation is established, the SSM returns to the monitoring loop of step 92. If the connection exchange cannot be completed (step 102), then the secondary connection is selected due to the primary connection failure, because no connection is available at this point such that an error is passed back (step 104). If the secondary connection is selected but not available due to priority, and the primary connection is still available, the exchange will not occur and the SSM will return to the monitoring loop of step 92. Now, a method of establishing a connection in accordance with the present invention will be explained.

Figure 9 is a flow chart showing one method 100 of the action taken by the smart switch module during the establishment of the connection phase. Note that the smart switch module in this embodiment is a software module that presents a part of the functionality of the smart switch device. Once the connection is requested, the SSM queries the system priority in the priority database 85 (step 112) to determine which type of connection is available for a particular user, and which is better for the particular user in this situation. . If a preferred or primary connection type is available (step 114), then a connection is established using this primary agreement (step 118) and a connection is passed back (step 122). A preferred method for checking connection availability uses conventional network service availability detection. If the primary connection is not available, the secondary connection type is checked for availability (step 116). If a secondary connection is available, the secondary connection is established (step 120) and a connection is passed back (step 122). If the secondary connection is also unavailable, an error is passed back (step 124).

Figure 10 is a flow diagram showing one of the methods 130 taken by the SSM during the connection monitoring phase. The SSM probes the current connection to determine its status (step 132). In addition, the connection status can be directly monitored by the protocol adapter or an external network service availability (such as a BIG_BROTHER) probe can be used to monitor the connection status. This state is checked (step 134), and if the connection is not available, the module returns a connection status "NO" (step 136) and terminates the method. If the connection is OK, the module checks to see if a termination request has been received from the user viewer (step 138). Upon receipt of a termination request, the module returns that the connection is terminated (step 140) and terminates. Next, when the smart switch module is integrated into the user's computer, the module checks to see if the user viewer requests a connection change (step 142). If the user viewer requests a connection change, "CONNECTION_SWITCH" is passed back (step 144) and the module is terminated. The priority is then read (step 146) and a check is made to determine if the current connection is the preferred one (step 148). If the current connection is a better connection, then "Connect OK" is returned (step 150) and the module terminates. If the current connection is not the best connection, then "CONNECTION_SWITCH" is returned and the module terminates.

While the invention has been described with reference to the specific embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that

20. . . Smart switch system

30. . . KVM/IP exchange

twenty two. . . First management data flow

42. . . KVM connection

twenty four. . . Second management data flow

40. . . Smart switch module

26. . . Wisdom flow

46. . . connection

50. . . Cable

85. . . Priority database

60. . . computer system

82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94, 96, 98, 100, 102, 104. . . step

62. . . CPU

64. . . Permanent storage device

100. . . method

66. . . Scratch memory

112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124. . . step

68. . . Typical operating system

70. . . Smart switch software application

130. . . method

132, 134, 136, 138, 140, 142, 144, 146, 148, 150. . . step

72. . . Monitor module

74. . . Engine module

76. . . Agreement adapter

78. . . Viewer

80. . . method

Figure 1 illustrates the use of in-band tools.

Figure 2 shows the use of the out-of-band tool.

FIG. 3 illustrates a smart switch module according to the present invention, wherein the management flow of the two slave modules to the managed device is illustrated.

Figure 4 illustrates a traditional out-of-band access solution using KVM/IP.

Figure 5 illustrates a conventional in-band access solution utilizing RDP.

FIG. 6 illustrates a smart switch module in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a smart switch module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a network management method using a smart switch module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 is a flow chart showing a method of establishing a connection by a smart switch module.

Figure 10 is a flow chart showing one of the established connections using the smart switch module in accordance with the present invention.

20. . . Smart switch system

twenty two. . . First management data flow

twenty four. . . Second management data flow

26. . . Wisdom flow

Claims (18)

A remote management system connected to a plurality of network nodes, the plurality of network nodes are to be managed by the remote management system, the system comprising: a management station, which is included according to what is included in the management station Some connection selection settings of the network response time are used to execute the software to remotely monitor and control a remote network node on a shared viewer; a smart switching module device is disposed at the management station and the remote end Between the network nodes, for providing access to the remote network node for the shared viewfinder in the management station by using a remote access protocol: (1) by the The smart switching module is automatically selected from one of an in-band agreement and an out-of-band agreement according to a predetermined set of criteria, the set of predetermined criteria including the connection selection settings, and whether the smart switching module is continuously selected within the in-band The agreement or the management information of the out-of-band agreement is passed to the common viewer; (2) continuously testing whether the selected remote access agreement best meets the connection selection settings, and in the smart exchange In the group, whenever the in-band agreement or the other of the out-of-band agreement is determined to better meet the connection selection settings, it automatically changes to the in-band agreement or the out-of-band agreement. One, and then continue to continuously change the smart exchange module to the in-band agreement or the management information of the out-of-band agreement to the same shared viewer; (3) whenever the in-band agreement or the out-of-band The other of the agreements is continuously repeated (2) when it is determined that it is better to comply with the connection selection settings; and the management station continuously transmits through the smart exchange module through the single The viewer uses the remote access protocol to remotely monitor and control the remote network node without setting the remote access protocol in the management station. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined set of criteria further comprises a set of preferred materials associated with a user. For example, the system of claim 2, wherein the set of predetermined criteria further includes the availability of an in-band agreement and the availability of a out-of-band agreement. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart switching module further comprises a monitor module for monitoring the connection status of the in-band agreement and the out-of-band agreement to determine the availability of each agreement, according to the group reservation a criterion for selecting one of the in-band protocol and the out-of-band agreement, allowing the smart switching module to interface with a plurality of remote access protocols, and providing a use A set of viewer applications for monitoring and controlling the remote network node. The system of claim 1, further comprising a management gateway device, wherein the smart switching module further comprises a plurality of computer instructions executed on the management gateway device. The system of claim 1, further comprising a management gateway device, wherein the smart switching module further comprises a plurality of embedded in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) disposed in the management gateway device. Instructions. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart switching module further comprises computer instructions executed by the management station. The system of claim 5, wherein the management gateway device further comprises one of one or more of the following remote access protocols Keyboard Video Mouse Switch: Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), Virtual Network Computing (VNC), Independent Computing Architecture (ICA), X Window (X.11), and Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI). The system of claim 5, wherein the management gateway device further comprises a serial console server using one or more of the following remote access protocols: Telnet, Secure Shell System (SSH) ), and the Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI). The system of claim 6, wherein the management gateway device uses a keyboard video mouse switch of one or more of the following remote access protocols: Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), virtual Network Computing (VNC), Independent Computing Architecture (ICA), X Window (X.11), and Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI). A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the management gateway device comprises a serial console server using one or more of the following remote access protocols: Telnet, Secure Shell System (SSH) And the Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI). The system of claim 5, wherein the management gateway device comprises a service processor gateway using one or more of the following remote access protocols: Telnet, Secure Shell System (SSH), Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), Virtual Network Computing (VNC), Independent Computing Architecture (ICA), X Window (X.11). A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the management gateway device comprises a service processor gateway using one or more of the following remote access protocols: Telnet, Secure Shell System (SSH), Remote table Surface Protocol (RDP), Virtual Network Computing (VNC), Independent Computing Architecture (ICA), X Window (X.11). A method for remotely managing a plurality of network nodes by using a management station and a smart switching module device, the management station executing software to remotely monitor and control a remote network node, the smart switching module device Between the management station and the remote network node, the method includes the steps of: opening a shared viewer at the management station; setting a connection including setting one of network response times in the management station Selecting a setting; in the smart switching module, an in-band agreement for accessing a remote network node and accessing the remote network node according to a set of predetermined criteria including the connection selection setting Automatically selecting a remote access protocol in one of the out-of-band protocols; using the smart switch module to access a remote network node using the selected remote access protocol; utilizing the shared viewer in the management station The selected remote access protocol remotely monitors and controls the remote network node through the smart switching module; in the smart switching module, continuously tests whether the selected remote access protocol is the most Compliance with the connection selection settings; in the smart switching module, the remote access protocol is automatically changed whenever another remote access protocol is determined to better conform to the connection selection settings Into this other remote access protocol, not the selected one The remote access protocol; and when the smart switching module changes to the other remote access protocol, continues to continuously transfer management information to the same common viewer. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of automatically selecting the remote access protocol further comprises monitoring the selected remote access protocol, and if the selected remote access protocol cannot be used to continue to control the remote network When the node is a node, another remote access protocol is automatically selected according to the set of predetermined criteria. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined set of criteria further comprises a set of preferred materials associated with a user. The method of claim 16, wherein the predetermined set of criteria further includes availability of an in-band agreement and availability of a out-of-band agreement. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a viewer application, the application providing a user interface for remote monitoring and control of the remote network node through the smart switching module.